Aug 11, 2011

Sakada Feature: GEORGE GUERRERO, Life's Warrior from Bacarra

The 1920s wave of Ilokano workers coming to
Hawaii was of a different
breed.

Warrior of life all, they came armed with dreams, lots of them, of the
good life they hardly knew from their birthplaces.

One of those men was George Guerrero. Born on November 17,
1901 in Bacarra and lived there until he was 25, he sailed for
Hawaiifrom Port Salomague in Cabugao, IlocosSur, in 1926.

George came with his two brothers; in 1928, another brother and a sister
followed him to Hawaii.

His boat landed on Kauai. Upon arrival
there, he worked in one of the sugarcane plantations for a year. From there, he
moved to Maui and worked at the
HC&amp;amp;S. He cut grass and loaded sugarcane stalks into
trucks. The backbreaking work paid him a dollar a day.

When Nagatani Store at Waikapu opened a position for a sales clerk, he applied for
that position and was taken in. He enjoyed that work immensely, and delighted in
delivering groceries to people’s homes.

Nagatani closed shop after a few year, and
George went back to work fro HC&amp;amp;S as a laborer/irrigator. By 1941, he
learned to drive tractors, and was a driver for a time until he moved to drive a
school bus. In 1944, he worked for Camp 5
Plantation Store which at the
end of Spanish B Camp in Puunene. In those days, everything you bought was on
credit. They usually take it out from your paycheck. Sometimes very
little amount of money is left on payday. The jobs that George undertook were
blessings in disguise. They became the stepping stones for George to be an
entrepreneur. He was one of the first Filipino businessmen here on
Maui.

In 1950, George decided to purchase a land to build a home and a store.
This was located at the end of Market
Street in
HappyValley across the former T.
K. Supermarket. Upstairs became the family’s living quarters and the bottom
floor was the store. It was spacious so George divided it into two
sections. One section was the grocery store and the other became a rental
space. Crispulo Evangelista’s Tailoring occupied
the space. At one time, Naomi’s Beauty Salon also occupied it at one time.

George retired in 1970 and the family moved to Kahului. In 1993, he passed on to another life.

A gregarious person, he was a member, and an officer, of a number of
organizations such as Maui Filipino Community Association, Maui Filipino
Catholic Club, and the Maui Merchants Association.

He enjoyed going deer hunting and owned a collection of guns that were
kept safely from anyone especially his children. But his main love was the game
of bowling, which he immensely enjoyed for thirty years.

George married the former Maria “Mary” AcobaCabacungan, a Maui-born former beauty queen, and
daughter to Ruperto and DioniciaCabacungan. Mary worked
at, and retired from, the St. Anthony School Cafeteria.

Mary and George were blessed with five children. Their first child
is Phillip, now deceased, and married to FelisaCacal by whom they have four children and nine
grandchildren.

The second child is Rosaline, or Saling, and married to LolitoSagucio by whom they have three children and four
grandchildren.

Benjamin, the third, now deceased, was married to Olga Patricia Buen by whom they had four children. One of who is Na
Hoku Award Winner Recording Artist Kumu Hula Uluwehi Guerrero of
Halau Hula Kauluokala.
Benjamin was also married to Joii Patricia Harrington;
there was no child from that union.

Their fourth child is Ellena, who was married
to LibratoBorling, now
deceased. They have three children and six grandchildren. Ellena is a very active member of Christ The King Church.

Patrick, the youngest of the children, was married to Carol Marie, now
deceased. They have a child and four grandchildren.

EllenaBorling had
these heartwarming words about her father:

“My dad
was very hardworking and conscientious. He loved his children and
grandchildren very much. He was a very thrifty person and always advised
us to save. He never borrowed money. He advised us to love and care
for our children and for one another. He taught us to have good work
ethics, set goals for ourselves and shoot to reach that
goal. He taught us the importance of education. We are very grateful
for all of the advices that dad shared with us. He had a very generous
heart. He would have been 110 years old this year.”

KumuUluwehi Guerrero
also had these kind words to say about his grandfather: “My grandfather
George worked hard all his life to provide and care for his family. He never
took anything for granted. Each time he had the chance, he would always remind
me to be honest and be dedicated to what I believe in.”

Thank you Ellena and KumuUluwehi for sharing with us
your story about your dad and grandfather.

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New Hours for County Immigrant Services

WAILUKU – Effective April 1st, the County of Maui Immigrant Services Division announced its new office hours.
In addition, the division will be re-opening its Lahaina office starting this month.
The new hours for the following offices are:
Wailuku
Monday-Thursday 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Friday 8:00 a.m. to Noon
Molokai
Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Lanai
Monday and Wednesday 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Friday 8:00 am-12:00 noon
Lahaina
First Thursday of every month from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
For more information call 270-7791.